I'm not so sure about the lack of motivation.He's always come across as a very hard worker.Surely the thought of playing the top flight players of today and continually getting thrashed is almost as unpleasant as losing in the early rounds to weaker players. The sting of losing coupled with the drop in rankings must be extremely painful to a former champ.

Would love to see him stick around, but I'm not sure how long he can take the pain. At least Euroka will be happy if Andy (not Murray) retires!

I'm not so sure about the lack of motivation.He's always come across as a very hard worker.Surely the thought of playing the top flight players of today and continually getting thrashed is almost as unpleasant as losing in the early rounds to weaker players. The sting of losing coupled with the drop in rankings must be extremely painful to a former champ.

Would love to see him stick around, but I'm not sure how long he can take the pain. At least Euroka will be happy if Andy (not Murray) retires!

I think this is the problem and why he'll quit. I think Henin was similar in a way... the minute she knew she couldn't compete and win she was out. Her injury sounded much worse. So Roddick has been hoping he'll come back but I think he sees the writing on the wall.

He was always getting angry on court when things didn't go his way... so imagine when things REALLY aren't going his way. Too much frustration. I was never a fan, but I think he should stick around.

i am not buying the age argument either.......he is not as old and he still moves quite good.......he was a consistent top 10 player but now the field has moved past him.......i don't think there's much he can do apart from working hard and hanging in the top 20.......there are just too many guys at the top who are simply better than him week in week out.......

roddick's problem is that he doesn't have a real weapon anymore.......his only weapon the serve can be picked quite easily by all the top 4 who are clearly the best returners after agassi.......

Logged

Marian Vajda to Novak Djokovic, "I saw you beat that man like I never saw no man get beat before, and the man KEPT COMING AFTER YOU! Now we don't need no man like that in our lives."

he could make total use of his wife and get recharged.......having such a wife is most of the times a plus.......i also think he has been frustrated over the years of losing too many slam finals and semifinals.......

Logged

Marian Vajda to Novak Djokovic, "I saw you beat that man like I never saw no man get beat before, and the man KEPT COMING AFTER YOU! Now we don't need no man like that in our lives."

i am not buying the age argument either.......he is not as old and he still moves quite good.......he was a consistent top 10 player but now the field has moved past him.......i don't think there's much he can do apart from working hard and hanging in the top 20.......there are just too many guys at the top who are simply better than him week in week out.......

roddick's problem is that he doesn't have a real weapon anymore.......his only weapon the serve can be picked quite easily by all the top 4 who are clearly the best returners after agassi.......

Ayuh. He can't hit through the court and he's not good enough to play defensive/percentage tennis. If he serve waivers even slightly over the course of a set he has a difficult time breaking back.

I don't think it's the age thing either.Could be a lack of motivation/confidence as well though I've always thought of him as a 'lunch pail' type player.

i am not buying the age argument either.......he is not as old and he still moves quite good.......he was a consistent top 10 player but now the field has moved past him.......i don't think there's much he can do apart from working hard and hanging in the top 20.......there are just too many guys at the top who are simply better than him week in week out.......

roddick's problem is that he doesn't have a real weapon anymore.......his only weapon the serve can be picked quite easily by all the top 4 who are clearly the best returners after agassi.......

Ayuh. He can't hit through the court and he's not good enough to play defensive/percentage tennis. If he serve waivers even slightly over the course of a set he has a difficult time breaking back.

I don't think it's the age thing either.Could be a lack of motivation/confidence as well though I've always thought of him as a 'lunch pail' type player.

The next few months could be very telling for him.

yes i have seen him struggling to hit through as well on some of the slowed down hardcourts but he also did not have to combat in his prime the kind of returners we have now........djokovic and murray are already being talked among the all time great returners........nadal and fed are too tough at the top and others like tsonga, berdych can all hit big........i don't think he's up for it at this stage.......the field has moved past him.......

Logged

Marian Vajda to Novak Djokovic, "I saw you beat that man like I never saw no man get beat before, and the man KEPT COMING AFTER YOU! Now we don't need no man like that in our lives."

and yes, percentage tennis is just not his thing........larie stefankie tried to convert him into a grinder but to no success........

they screwed up everything. back in 2003 Roddick had a golden FH ... somehow he lost it ... they tried to change too many things in his game and it was simply not natural for Roddick. Roddick's obsession with Federer is another story (more changes, more experiments and more failures). I honestly think that if AR had stuck to his original game he could have won more majors. However, his career right now is pretty much over. He is not even motivated any more ... just kinda hanging in there. He won't be even seeded at Wimbledon.

and yes, percentage tennis is just not his thing........larie stefankie tried to convert him into a grinder but to no success........

they screwed up everything. back in 2003 Roddick had a golden FH ... somehow he lost it ... they tried to change too many things in his game and it was simply not natural for Roddick. Roddick's obsession with Federer is another story (more changes, more experiments and more failures). I honestly think that if AR had stuck to his original game he could have won more majors. However, his career right now is pretty much over. He is not even motivated any more ... just kinda hanging in there. He won't be even seeded at Wimbledon.

Nothing uglier than watching him try to move into the forecourt behind some lame approach. If he made it and didn't get passed, the volleys were downright brutal to watch. He looked very uncomfortable there. I think you're right about the FH. It used to work well for him and now it's more of a rally shot then a weapon.